Airway AssessmentAirwaySurveyNCT07886060
Airway Survey - International Airway Assessment Practices (2023-2028)
An observational study of Airway Assessment, run by Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz.
Trial summary
This international, multicenter, observational survey study aims to assess current clinical practices in preoperative airway assessment in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland at both the institutional and individual anesthesiologist levels. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Any ageHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Airway Assessment
- What is being tested?
- Structured Survey on Preoperative Airway Assessment
- Type of treatment
- Surgery or procedure
- How many people
- 2,000 participants
- Where
- No sites listed yet
- Study dates
- Nov 2026to Dec 2028
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages Any age
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Study population: The study population includes licensed physicians practicing anesthesiology and anesthesiology departments in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Institutional recruitment targets university hospitals, tertiary care hospitals, selected hospital networks (Asklepios, Helios, Schön Kliniken, church-affiliated hospitals, and BG Kliniken), and ambulatory surgical centers providing anesthesiology services. Recruitment will be conducted through institutional and professional email distribution lists, direct invitations, QR codes displayed in hospitals, and designated information booths at anesthesiology conferences. Participation is voluntary and requires informed consent for the collection and processing of pseudonymized survey data. Responses containing clearly implausible information will be excluded from analysis.
Who may be able to join
- Institutions
- Hospitals in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland with an established department of anesthesiology.
- Ambulatory surgical centers providing exclusively outpatient surgical care and involving anesthesiology services.
- Individual Participants
- Anesthesiologists currently practicing in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland, including residents in anesthesiology and board-certified anesthesiologists.
Who cannot join
- Institutions
- Hospitals without an anesthesiology department.
- Ambulatory surgical centers without anesthesiology services.
- Institutions located outside Germany, Austria, or Switzerland.
- Individual Participants
- Physicians not currently practicing anesthesiology.
- Anesthesiologists practicing exclusively outside Germany, Austria, or Switzerland.
- Individuals who do not provide informed consent to participate in the survey.
Trial locations and contacts
No sites are listed yet. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
About this study
Official title: Airway Survey - Bridging Guidelines and Clinical Practice in Airway Assessment: An International Study (2023-2028)
This international, multicenter, observational survey study aims to assess current clinical practices in preoperative airway assessment in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland at both the institutional and individual anesthesiologist levels.
The study focuses on the use of individual airway assessment parameters versus combined assessment scores, as well as current documentation practices. An initial survey will establish baseline practices before the anticipated publication of the updated German Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine (DGAI) guidelines in 2028. A follow-up survey will be conducted after guideline publication to evaluate potential changes in clinical practice.
The study aims to identify differences between the three participating countries and assess changes in airway assessment and documentation practices following the publication of the updated guidelines.
Read the detailed description
This international, observational study employs a repeated cross-sectional survey design with two data collection periods before and after the anticipated publication of the updated German Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine (DGAI) guidelines in 2028.
Two structured questionnaires will assess preoperative airway assessment practices at the institutional and individual clinician levels in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
The institutional questionnaire will evaluate standardized preoperative airway assessment protocols, institutional practices, and documentation requirements. The individual questionnaire will investigate anesthesiologists' use of individual clinical assessment parameters, multivariable airway assessment scores, and documentation of airway assessment findings.
Descriptive and comparative analyses will examine variations in preoperative airway assessment practices across participating countries and between the two survey periods. Particular emphasis will be placed on changes in the use of individual assessment parameters versus multivariable assessment scores, institutional standardization, and documentation practices following guideline publication.
- Conditions
- Airway Assessment
- Being tested
- Structured Survey on Preoperative Airway Assessment
- Keywords
- Airway Assessment, Clinical Practice Guidelines, Preoperative Airway Evaluation
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Structured Survey on Preoperative Airway AssessmentProcedure or surgery
Structured questionnaire-based assessment of institutional and individual preoperative airway assessment practices, conducted before and after publication of the updated DGAI guidelines.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Anaesthesiology Departments | Anesthesiology departments in hospitals across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland participating in an institutional survey assessing standardized preoperative airway assessment protocols, clinical practices, and documentation requirements. Receives: Procedure: Structured Survey on Preoperative Airway Assessment | |
| Individual Anaesthesiologists | Practicing anesthesiologists in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland participating in an individual survey assessing the use of clinical airway assessment parameters, multivariable airway assessment scores, and documentation practices. Receives: Procedure: Structured Survey on Preoperative Airway Assessment |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Use of Individual Airway Assessment Parameters Versus Combined Assessment Scores in Clinical Practice
Proportion of participating anesthesiology departments in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland using individual clinical assessment parameters, multivariable airway assessment scores, or a combination of both for preoperative airway assessment, as determined by a structured institutional questionnaire.
Measured: Baseline survey, prior to publication of the updated DGAI guidelines (anticipated in 2028).
Secondary outcomes (4)
Differentiation of Predictors According to Airway Management Technique
Proportion of respondents differentiating between predictors of difficult face-mask ventilation, difficult supraglottic airway placement or ventilation, difficult tracheal intubation, and difficult emergency front-of-neck airway access during preoperative airway assessment.
Measured: Baseline survey (2026-2027)
Documentation of Airway Assessment Findings
Proportion of participating institutions and individual anesthesiologists reporting standardized, non-standardized, or no documentation of preoperative airway assessment findings, including the use of structured electronic or paper-based documentation systems.
Measured: Baseline survey (2026-2027)
Quality Assurance of Preoperative Airway Assessment
Proportion of participating anesthesiology departments reporting established quality assurance measures for preoperative airway assessment, including audits, standardized review procedures, or other institutional quality monitoring processes.
Measured: Baseline survey (2026-2027)
Changes in Airway Assessment Practices Following Guideline Publication
Differences in the proportions of participating institutions and individual anesthesiologists reporting the use of individual assessment parameters versus combined scores, differentiation of predictors by airway management technique, standardized documentation practices, and quality assurance measures between the baseline and follow-up surveys.
Measured: Baseline survey (2026-2027) and follow-up survey after publication of the updated DGAI guidelines (anticipated in 2028)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted21 Oct 2026
- Study startNov 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completionJul 2028 (estimated)
- Study completionDec 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (2)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Airway AssessmentStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Other
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Enrolment
- 2,000 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Katharina Epp, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
- Investigators
- Katharina Epp, Dr. med., MD, Principal investigator, University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Germany
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07886060
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- Airway Survey
- Acronym
- AirwaySurvey
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 14 Oct 2026
- Last updated
- 28 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Individual participant data will not be made publicly available due to data protection considerations and the potential risk of re-identification. Aggregated and anonymized study results may be shared through scientific publications and conference presentations.
Publications
Ilper H, Grossbach A, Franz-Jager C, Byhahn C, Klages M, Ackermann HH, Zacharowski K, Kunz T. Thyromental distance ("Patil") revisited : Knowledge and performance of a basic airway screening tool among European anesthetists. Anaesthesist. 2018 Mar;67(3):198-203. doi: 10.1007/s00101-018-0412-y. Epub 2018 Feb 1.
PubMed 29392357Ilper H, Franz-Jager C, Byhahn C, Klages M, Ackermann HH, Zacharowski K, Kunz T. [Update Mallampati : Theoretical and practical knowledge of European anesthetists on basic evaluation of airways]. Anaesthesist. 2018 Oct;67(10):738-744. doi: 10.1007/s00101-018-0481-y. Epub 2018 Aug 31. German.
PubMed 30171286
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 28 Oct 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Airway Survey - Bridging Guidelines and Clinical Practice in Airway Assessment: An International Study (2023-2028)
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07886060
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- AirwaySurvey / Airway Survey
- Conditions
- Airway Assessment
- Keywords
- Airway Assessment, Clinical Practice Guidelines, Preoperative Airway Evaluation
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 2,000 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Johannes Gutenberg University MainzUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- Nov 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- Jul 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Dec 2028 (estimated)
- First posted
- 21 Oct 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This international, multicenter, observational survey study aims to assess current clinical practices in preoperative airway assessment in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland at both the institutional and individual anesthesiologist levels.
The study focuses on the use of individual airway assessment parameters versus combined assessment scores, as well as current documentation practices. An initial survey will establish baseline practices before the anticipated publication of the updated German Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine (DGAI) guidelines in 2028. A follow-up survey will be conducted after guideline publication to evaluate potential changes in clinical practice.
The study aims to identify differences between the three participating countries and assess changes in airway assessment and documentation practices following the publication of the updated guidelines.
Detailed description
This international, observational study employs a repeated cross-sectional survey design with two data collection periods before and after the anticipated publication of the updated German Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine (DGAI) guidelines in 2028.
Two structured questionnaires will assess preoperative airway assessment practices at the institutional and individual clinician levels in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
The institutional questionnaire will evaluate standardized preoperative airway assessment protocols, institutional practices, and documentation requirements. The individual questionnaire will investigate anesthesiologists' use of individual clinical assessment parameters, multivariable airway assessment scores, and documentation of airway assessment findings.
Descriptive and comparative analyses will examine variations in preoperative airway assessment practices across participating countries and between the two survey periods. Particular emphasis will be placed on changes in the use of individual assessment parameters versus multivariable assessment scores, institutional standardization, and documentation practices following guideline publication.
Study design
- Observational model
- Other
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Anaesthesiology Departments | – | Procedure: Structured Survey on Preoperative Airway AssessmentAnesthesiology departments in hospitals across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland participating in an institutional survey assessing standardized preoperative airway assessment protocols, clinical practices, and documentation requirements. |
| Individual Anaesthesiologists | – | Procedure: Structured Survey on Preoperative Airway AssessmentPracticing anesthesiologists in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland participating in an individual survey assessing the use of clinical airway assessment parameters, multivariable airway assessment scores, and documentation practices. |
Who may qualify
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- The study population includes licensed physicians practicing anesthesiology and anesthesiology departments in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Institutional recruitment targets university hospitals, tertiary care hospitals, selected hospital networks (Asklepios, Helios, Schön Kliniken, church-affiliated hospitals, and BG Kliniken), and ambulatory surgical centers providing anesthesiology services. Recruitment will be conducted through institutional and professional email distribution lists, direct invitations, QR codes displayed in hospitals, and designated information booths at anesthesiology conferences. Participation is voluntary and requires informed consent for the collection and processing of pseudonymized survey data. Responses containing clearly implausible information will be excluded from analysis.
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Institutions
- Hospitals in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland with an established department of anesthesiology.
- Ambulatory surgical centers providing exclusively outpatient surgical care and involving anesthesiology services.
- Individual Participants
- Anesthesiologists currently practicing in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland, including residents in anesthesiology and board-certified anesthesiologists.
Key exclusion criteria (8 listed)
- Institutions
- Hospitals without an anesthesiology department.
- Ambulatory surgical centers without anesthesiology services.
- Institutions located outside Germany, Austria, or Switzerland.
- Individual Participants
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Structured Survey on Preoperative Airway AssessmentStructured questionnaire-based assessment of institutional and individual preoperative airway assessment practices, conducted before and after publication of the updated DGAI guidelines. | Procedure or surgery | Anaesthesiology Departments, Individual Anaesthesiologists |
Primary outcome
Use of Individual Airway Assessment Parameters Versus Combined Assessment Scores in Clinical Practice
Time frame: Baseline survey, prior to publication of the updated DGAI guidelines (anticipated in 2028).
Proportion of participating anesthesiology departments in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland using individual clinical assessment parameters, multivariable airway assessment scores, or a combination of both for preoperative airway assessment, as determined by a structured institutional questionnaire.
4 secondary outcomes
Differentiation of Predictors According to Airway Management Technique
Time frame: Baseline survey (2026-2027)
Documentation of Airway Assessment Findings
Time frame: Baseline survey (2026-2027)
Quality Assurance of Preoperative Airway Assessment
Time frame: Baseline survey (2026-2027)
Changes in Airway Assessment Practices Following Guideline Publication
Time frame: Baseline survey (2026-2027) and follow-up survey after publication of the updated DGAI guidelines (anticipated in 2028)
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 28 Oct 2026.
- Background: PubMed 29392357Ilper H, Grossbach A, Franz-Jager C, Byhahn C, Klages M, Ackermann HH, Zacharowski K, Kunz T. Thyromental distance ("Patil") revisited : Knowledge and performance of a basic airway screening tool among European anesthetists. Anaesthesist. 2018 Mar;67(3):198-203. doi: 10.1007/s00101-018-0412-y. Epub 2018 Feb 1.
- Background: PubMed 30171286Ilper H, Franz-Jager C, Byhahn C, Klages M, Ackermann HH, Zacharowski K, Kunz T. [Update Mallampati : Theoretical and practical knowledge of European anesthetists on basic evaluation of airways]. Anaesthesist. 2018 Oct;67(10):738-744. doi: 10.1007/s00101-018-0481-y. Epub 2018 Aug 31. German.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Individual participant data will not be made publicly available due to data protection considerations and the potential risk of re-identification. Aggregated and anonymized study results may be shared through scientific publications and conference presentations.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Katharina Epp, Dr. med., MD principal investigator
University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Germany
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Airway Assessment, run by Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 8 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 28 Oct 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Katharina Epp, Dr. med., MD (0049 6131 170, kathaepp@uni-mainz.de), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Use of Individual Airway Assessment Parameters Versus Combined Assessment Scores in Clinical Practice (time frame: Baseline survey, prior to publication of the updated DGAI guidelines (anticipated in 2028).). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07886060, which also lists 2 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 28 Oct 2026.